Merit and demerit - Koukakaku

A Taoist book. In this book, the author grades his or her own actions according to the moral standards based on the doctrines of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, classifying them into merits (good deeds) and demerits (evil deeds), and presenting them in a table. It is a type of "good book" (a book that encourages good and punishes evil). The maximum score varies depending on the person who wrote the book, and the grading method varies from article to article, and the grading method varies from one article to another. For example, "Therefore, injuring or killing a person's life is considered a hundred demerits" ("Taiwei Xianjun Gong Guo Ge") and "One demerit - respect and provide all one's nurturing. Serve the sick like one's parents..." ("Gong Guo Ge Ji Yao"). The grading symbols are ⊖ for one demerit, ⊕ for ten demerits, × for one over, and * for ten over. The term merit and demerit was used in ancient times to describe professional ability, but it is said that it was first linked to morality in the "Taizokuhen Bisihen" chapter of the "Baopuzi" by Ge Hong (283-343?). He explains that the gods of heaven and earth and the three corpses of demons in one's body shorten one's lifespan according to one's sins. Around 1171 (the 11th year of the Great Ding era) of the Jin Dynasty, the "Taiwei Xianjun Gongguo Ge" (The Gongguo Ge of the Self-Assessment of One's Life) was written by Yuanzi. This is the oldest surviving work, and the subject of assessment changed after Ge Hong by the influence of Buddhism. The 16th century works "Yinzhilu" (The Record of the Yinzhi Lu) by Yunqi, "Zizhilu" (The Record of the Zizhi Lu) by Yungu, and "Gongguo Ge" by Yungu are well-known. It is unclear when it was introduced into Japan, but during the Edo period it was used by scholars such as Hirose Tanso and even farmers.

[Masayuki Miyazawa]

"Taoist Scriptures" (1924, Sekai Bunko Publishing Association) "Taoism and Buddhism Part 2" by Yoshitoyo Yoshioka (1970, Toyoshima Shobo) "Study of Chinese Fine Books" by Tadao Sakai (1960, Kokusho Publishing Association)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

道教の書。儒仏道の教義に基づいた格（道徳規準）に照らして、自己の行為を採点し、功（善行）と過（罪悪）とに分類して表にする書物で、「善書」（勧善懲悪の書）の一種。感得し撰述(せんじゅつ)した人物によって満点数を異にし、採点の方法も各条ごとのものや、一括提示など異なっている。たとえば、「故(ことさら)に人の性命を傷殺するを百過と為(な)す」（『太微仙君(たいびせんくん)功過格』）、「一功――敬を致し養を尽す。疾(やまい)に侍するに父母の如(ごと)し……」（『功過格輯要(しゅうよう)』）のごとくである。採点記号は、一功が⊖、十功が⊕、一過が×、十過が＊などである。功過の語は古く職務上の能力に用いられたが、道徳と結び付けたのは、葛洪(かっこう)（283―343？）の『抱朴子(ほうぼくし)』「対俗篇微旨篇(たいぞくへんびしへん)」が初めといわれる。彼は、天地の神や身中の三尸(さんし)の鬼神が人の罪過に従って奪紀奪算（寿命の減少）をすると説く。金の1171年（大定11）ころに自己採点の又玄子(ゆうげんし)撰『太微仙君功過格』が世に出た。これが現存最古のものであり、仏教の影響などで葛洪以後このころまでに採点の主体が変化した。16世紀の袁了凡(えんりょうぼん)の『陰隲録(いんしつろく)』、雲棲(うんせい)の『自知録』、雲谷(うんこく)の『功過格』が有名である。日本への伝来は不明であるが、江戸時代には広瀬淡窓らの学者や、農民にまで利用された。

［宮澤正順］

『『道教聖典』（1924・世界文庫刊行会）』▽『吉岡義豊著『道教と仏教　第二』（1970・豊島書房）』▽『酒井忠夫著『中国善書の研究』（1960・国書刊行会）』

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